How To Hire Voice Actors

There are a few ways you can hire voice actors, some easier and less stressful than others! If you’re anything like me, you’ll want the easiest option with the least stress that gives the best result!

ARE YOU AN EXPERT?

I’m not going to blow my own trumpet too much, but I am a bit of an expert in the art of how to hire voice actors! I’ve over 20 years experience in media, and for 15 of those years I’ve been a voice over artist in my own right, with my own studio, recording for clients all over the world. Not only that, I’ve worked with voice over agencies, for them AND been a voice over agent. So all in all, I’d like to think I know what I’m talking about.

Are You A Voice Actors Expert?

I’m not going to blow my own trumpet too much, but I am a bit of an expert in the art of how to hire voice actors. I’ve over 20 years experience in media. For 15 of those years I’ve been a voice over artist in my own right, with my own studio, recording for clients all over the world. Not only that, I’ve worked with voice over agencies, for them AND been a voice over agent myself. So, all in all, I’d like to think I know what I’m talking about.

How to Hire Voice Actors, Options!

There are three main ways you can hire voice actors:

Book through a voiceover agent

Use a ‘pay to play’ voiceover website

Hire the voiceover direct

Because your time is precious, I’m going to cut straight to the chase and say option 3 is your best option – hire the voice over direct. Why? Well, if you have a moment, read on, and I’ll explain all. If not, and you want to get your voice over done NOW, contact me and I’ll have your voice over job done and the audio back to you within 24 hours.

You’re still reading this, so you must be curious as to why my recommendation for how to hire voice actors is option 3, let me explain:

Book Through A Voiceover Agent

When you hire anyone through a third party (such as a voice over agent) there is added expense and time, because there is a third party involved! What is the voice over agent doing for that slice of your money and added time?

They are basically sending emails, or if they’re old school, making a phone call! This is how it works in most voice over agencies:

Client enquires about a voice actor

Agent emails over some suggestions

Client emails agent back with preferred voice actor

Agent emails voice actor to check availability

Voice actor replies

Agent emails client with confirmed booking

Agent emails invoice to client

Agent laughs all the way to the bank at the easy money they’ve earnt

There maybe more emails if the agent needs to book a voice over studio for the project, too. Okay, so that’s a very simplified version of how it’d work, but you get the drift. If you’ve got money and time to spare, then a voice over agent could be a good fit.

Use A Pay To Play Voice Over Website

These have grown in popularity recently with the rise of the gig economy. Unfortunately, they open the voice over world up to any Tom, Dick or Harry who has a computer and a microphone in their bedroom and thinks that’s all it takes. And that is the biggest problem.

A pay to play voiceover website is one where the voice actor (professional and bloke of the street) registers with the site, such as voicebunny or voice123, and pays to be listed on there. There is no vetting of the audio, experience, studio sound or anything. You might as well go an ask your next door neighbour to voice your project!

And that’s not all…

The other negative of using these kinds of voiceover websites is the amount of responses you get and have to sift through. Because the voice over world is so competitive, and the people on these sites have paid to be on them, they want to get value for their money. As such, they don’t let any opportunities pass them by.

In most cases, you post a job on these sites, all the registered voiceovers get an email about a new job and apply. And I mean the ALL apply!

You may specify in your job posting that you want an English male voice over artist, with a neutral accent, sounding 25-40, for an e-learning voice over project. But what you’ll get is loads of applicants who can put on an English voice or pretend to be English. They might be American English, or Australian English. You’ll get female voice overs offering you an alternative sound. There’ll be applicants from older male voice actors who can sound younger…and so on.

To find the voice you want, you have to go through these. If you have an abundance of time and are open to options, then hiring a voice actor via one of these sites might be good for you.

Hire The Voiceover Direct

This is the best option for when you need to hire voice actors. Why? Its simple!

The main way you’ll hire voice actors direct is by using a search engine; typing in your search terms and reviewing the results. Any voiceover artist who has spent the time building up their online presence on a search engine has got to be dedicated to the job. It’s not easy getting top ranking for voice overs on search engines. It doesn’t happen overnight, it takes time.

These are the people who take the job seriously. They’re not looking for shortcuts or a quick money maker on pay to play voiceover websites. They’re in it for the long hall, for the love of the job. They’ve most likely invested money in decent audio equipment for their own voice over studio, too. Which means they can record your project ASAP – no waiting for the middle man, no sifting through lots of applicants first. It’s just you and the voiceover getting the job done. And, it’ll be cheaper than going through the voiceover agent and pay to play website.

So there you have it, all the options on how to hire voice actors!

Thanks for reading, hope it’s been helpful. Any questions, just contact me.